Exploring Bolivia's Traditional Ethnic Delicacies

Bolivian cuisine is a melting pot of indigenous traditions and outside influences. The country's food culture is shaped by the Quechua and Aymara people, as well as the Spanish, French, Germans, Italians, and Arabs who arrived as conquistadors and immigrants. The result is a diverse range of dishes that vary by region, from the cold, spice-heavy cuisine of the Andean highlands to the tropical produce and fish of the Amazonian lowlands.

Salteñas: Baked empanadas with beef or chicken, olives, potatoes, veggies, egg, raisins, and spices

Salteñas are a popular Bolivian street food and the national dish of the country. They are baked empanadas with a juicy, sweet and savoury filling. The pastry is shaped like a football with a braided top crust and has an orange-brown colour from urucú or achiote seeds (annatto) in the dough.

The filling is made with beef or chicken, mixed with olives, potatoes, vegetables, hard-boiled egg, raisins, and spices. The stew-like filling is so juicy that gelatin is added to the mixture before it is chilled, to prevent the dough from becoming soggy. Salteñas are often served with coffee or fresh fruit juice and are typically eaten for breakfast or as a mid-morning snack.

The name, 'salteña', means 'a woman from Salta', Argentina, and it is believed that the dish was created by an Argentinian woman, Juana Manuela Gorriti, who was exiled to Potosí, Bolivia. The dish was so popular that people would tell their children, "Ve y recoge una empanada de la salteña", meaning "Go and pick up an empanada from the woman from Salta".

Anticuchos: Grilled beef or chicken heart skewers with potatoes and peanut sauce

Anticuchos are a popular ethnic dish of Bolivia, consisting of grilled beef or chicken heart skewers, served with potatoes and a peanut sauce. This dish is said to have originated in the Andean mountain ranges in the 16th century and is now a prevalent dish in Bolivia and other South American countries.

The beef or chicken hearts are marinated in a variety of spices and herbs, such as cumin, black pepper, garlic, oregano, mint, and parsley, giving the dish a unique and tasty flavour. The meat is then skewered and grilled, similar to a Mediterranean shish kebab. The dish is commonly served with roasted potatoes and a spicy peanut sauce, known as llajua.

In Bolivia, anticuchos are typically sold by street vendors called "anticucheras", who are known for their ritual of creating spectacular flames to attract customers and to give off an irresistible aroma. Anticuchos are usually eaten as a snack or appetiser and can be enjoyed any time of the day.

The dish is not only delicious but also carries a rich cultural history, dating back to the pre-Columbian era and the Inca Empire. It is a must-try when visiting Bolivia and is sure to leave you wanting more.

Bolivian street food: Pastel de queso, salteñas, and salchipapas

Bolivian street food offers a variety of flavours and dishes, with some recipes passed down through generations. Here are three popular Bolivian street foods: pastel de queso, salteñas, and salchipapas.

Pastel de queso, or cheese pastry, is a popular breakfast dish in Bolivia. The pastry is made by frying dough and filling it with melted cheese. The cheese used is typically queso fresco or Monterey Jack. The pastry is often served with a warm cup of red boiled corn or a good cup of coffee. Pastel de queso can be found at street vendors in the early morning, filling the air with the smell of frying dough.

Salteñas are another iconic Bolivian street food. These baked snacks are a type of empanada, named after the Argentinian city of Salta. They are filled with a juicy mix of sweet and savoury sauces, along with beef, pork, or chicken. Some salteñas are vegetarian, filled with ingredients like peas, eggs, potatoes, and olives. They are often served with llajua, a Bolivian salsa, and are eaten carefully from the top to prevent the juices from spilling. Salteñas are a popular mid-morning snack and can be found at street vendors, especially in La Paz.

Salchipapas are a South American fast food dish commonly consumed as street food. It consists of thinly sliced pan-fried beef sausages and French fries, mixed together with a side of savoury coleslaw. The name is derived from the Spanish words "salchicha" (sausage) and "papa" (potato). Salchipapas are served with various sauces, such as ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard, or olive sauce, and can be topped with a fried egg or cheese. They are high in energy and can be found on the streets of Bolivia, as well as in restaurants.

Cochabamba specialties: Pique a lo macho, silpancho, and picante de pollo

Cochabamba is the "Capital gastronómica de Bolivia" (Gastronomic Capital of Bolivia), and with good reason. The city and its surroundings are known for their hearty dishes, with Cochabamba restaurants often serving only silpancho, a local specialty.

Silpancho is a traditional Bolivian dish from the Cochabamba region. It is a substantial meal consisting of a layer of white rice, topped with a pounded cutlet of breaded beef, boiled potatoes, chopped tomatoes, onions, beets, parsley, and a fried egg. The cutlet is traditionally thin and pounded, as the name derives from the Quechua word 'sillp'anchu', meaning 'thin and pounded'.

Another Cochabamba specialty is pique a lo macho, or simply 'pique'. This is a plate of food that is often too much for one person to handle. It consists of strips of beef, sausages or hot dogs, french fries, onions, tomatoes, locoto chilli peppers, and hard-boiled eggs, served with ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise. The legend goes that a group of drunk workers arrived at a restaurant in Cochabamba late at night and the owner put together whatever ingredients she had left, adding lots of spices to help them sober up. She told them: "Piquen si son machos", meaning "Eat it if you think you're man enough", and so the dish got its name.

The third Cochabamba specialty is picante de pollo, or spicy chicken. This dish has many variations, but the key ingredients are aji amarillo chilli peppers and chuño, a type of freeze-dried potato native to Bolivia's Andean region. The chicken is cooked in a broth with onions, garlic, cumin, and pureed aji amarillo, and served with white rice, boiled potatoes, chuño, and salsa.

Bolivian drinks: Mocochinchi, guarapo, and api morado

Bolivia may not be world-famous for its cuisine, but the country has a variety of traditional dishes and drinks for visitors to try. One such drink is mocochinchi, a Quechua term for dried peach. Mocochinchi is made by peeling and drying peaches, which are then left in water overnight and boiled with sugar and cinnamon the next day. It is served cold, and the peach is often eaten after the drink.

Another popular drink in Bolivia is guarapo, a Latin American fermented alcoholic drink derived from sugarcane juice. The word comes from the Quechua "warapu", which signifies the juice of crushed cane. Guarapo is particularly well-known in Latin American countries like Panama, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Venezuela, Colombia, Bolivia, and Peru.

The final drink we will cover is api morado, a thick and hearty purple corn drink that can be served hot or cold. It is traditionally served at breakfast with a pastry called a "buñuelo", which is a deep-fried soft dough. Api morado is made by soaking ground purple corn flour in water, then boiling it with cinnamon and cloves to create a spiced purple water. The grated orange rind is added to this mixture, along with sugar to taste.

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